Star Crossed In Time - Chapter 180

Slowly, I feel a smile crawl across my face but the smile is hollow, lacking any kind of warmth as I look Bai Lei over. His gaze is stern but kind as he says “Let’s go home.” I cock my head to the side and say “Home? Hahaha… Yes, I should probably head home but not with you.”

I see him struggling to control himself as he says “Come to me, little star. I can help you.” I narrow my eyes and sneer at him as I say “Help me?” I slowly stand up and step closer to him “You can help me by giving me your power. I feel an emptiness in me that’s unending, eating at me… you’re power will ease that pain. That’s how you can help me.”

Bai Lei relaxes as he says “You can have as much as you want, little star.” My smile is back as I slowly walk over to him with an arched eyebrow. I stop before him and look up to his red eyes with a smirk as I ask “What if I want it all?”

He reaches out and softly cups my face as he whispers “You can have it all.” Something suddenly hurts in my chest, causing me to freeze. He sees it and says “Take it, little star, take it all.” The pain is sharp as a moment of clarity shoots across my dark mind.

I stumble back with a look of confusion and fear. I reach up and press my hand over my heart as I look at Bai Lei’s nervous face. He tries to step closer but I quickly jerk back and lift my other hand out to stop him.

“Are you insane!! What the hell are you thinking? Leave now!” I hiss out in anger and pain. His face takes on a determined look as he tries to take another step. I scream at him as dark powerful energy breaks free around me, destroying everything in the large room.

It was pure chaos as the dark energy tears at everything around me while I struggle to hold onto that moment of clarity. The old me… but the dark energy was so powerful it was destroying everything in and around me. I bite my lip and struggle to fight against the raging energy.

The walls of the rooms begin to break away and crumble as I fall to the floor with another scream. I fight to hold on to the last piece of me but I was failing. The dark energy was entirely too strong! “Nova! Listen to my voice and calm down.” Bai Lei says making me panic.

That lunatic was still trying to come!? I look up to see him fighting against the dark energy to reach me. He was making his way over but the dark energy was cutting away at him and drawing blood! My heart clenches in pain as I lean over with another scream.

The dark energy increases, knocking Bai Lei back a few feet. I need to get away! I’m gonna end up killing him! My mind struggles to think as the chaos continues to storm in and around me but it suddenly hits me.

“Nova! Stop! You’re killing yourself!! Just calm down and stop fighting it!” Bai Lei yells as he tries to run back to me.

I use what mental strength I have left and grab the last lifeline I have. I look up to Bai Lei as my hair and dress whips around me like a dark tornado of destruction. Tears fall from my eyes as I use all my strength to hold onto the old me for just a little longer.

“I’m sorry… I love you,” I say as I snap the glass vial. Bai Lei’s face takes on a look of horror before he unleashes his power and lunges for me but it’s too late. The last thing I see is his glowing red eyes as he reaches for me.

Everything disappears as I land hard on a cold metal floor. Blood surges up my throat and I have no choice but to spit it out. I feel like I’m being torn to pieces from the inside out! “Nova? Holyshit!! What happened?? Did that bastard do this to you!?”

When I hear Ted’s familiar voice. I look up and watch as he jumps back with a look of horror. My face twists up in pain and determination as I struggle to control the dark energy. I definitely can’t release it here or I’ll kill Ted!

Another mouthful of blood comes up as I lean over and cough it up before falling to my side. I wrap my arms around myself and refuse to give in to the dark raging power as I struggle to say “I.. I can’t..”

Ted crawls back over while shaking like a leaf. He goes to touch me so I quickly yell “Don’t touch me!” He jerks back and looks at me with fear before asking “What do you need me to do Nova? What happened to you? What’s happening!?? Did Eli do this to you!?”

I clench my teeth as I say “Dying.. I’m dying.” Ted sucks in and says “Shit! Shit shit shit! I can’t even call for help! That bastard locked me in here… I can’t call for help. What do I need to do?” His eyes are bright red as tears threaten to overflow as my poor brain struggles to understand what he’s saying but I just can’t.

All my energy is focused on keeping the dark energy inside of me as I say “Get… away” He looks at me in confusion as I yell “Get away!” I don’t know how much longer I can hold on for. He hesitates for a moment before scooting back a little but he refuses to move back any more. My eyes dart around a large cell of some kind, only adding to my confusion.

Another mouthful of blood comes up as I struggle not to choke on it. I clench my eyes shut and silently plead for help. The second I let go… Ted will be torn to pieces. ‘Please… anywhere but here’ I silently beg and suddenly feel a strong force pulling me.

I land hard on soft green grass and struggle to look around me. My confusion grows when I see the familiar pee rock and peach tree. Was I in my space? Was that even possible?? The water… Maybe the water will help me. I struggle to get up but when I can’t, I begin crawling to the water.

As I get closer, my confusion grows when I see how large the puddle had become. It looked like a freaking pond! As I get to the water’s edge, I cough up another mouthful of blood as intense pain has me nearly fainting. ‘Not yet… not yet’ I tell myself as I force myself back up to my hands and knees.

As soon as I feel the water on my hand, I feel a cool relief wash over the skin on it. I keep crawling as I cough up more blood. My vision is nearly gone as I drag my entire body into the pond but only after a few more pulls, I feel the last bit of my remaining strength leave.

I fall face-first into the water as my world goes dark. At least I didn’t hurt anyone I cared about…

The pond water slowly swells, lifting Nova’s lifeless body before pulling it to the middle of the pond. Nova’s body slowly sinks in the water and after a few minutes, the water goes back to the calm it had before.

~~~~~~

Bai Lei kneels in an empty room full of death and destruction with a blank face. He was so close… she was right there. He slowly looks down at his hands with a look of despair. She said it… she said ‘I love you’ before leaving. He held back his power because he didn’t want to hurt her or scare her off…

He knows where she went but he has no way of going there… she’ll die. He would have been able to suppress the energy long enough to look for a cure but she’s gone… he has no way of helping her now, no one can help her in that world.

He slowly pushes himself up and shifts out to the front of the palace. He looks up at the grand palace and with just a thought, the whole thing goes up in Unholy flames. His eyes glow a dark red color as black mist rolls off him in waves. “Mark my words… this fire will burn for all eternity and the land will die! Anyone from the Under Realm will perish along with it!!!”

Powerful lightning flashes across the sky as Bai Lei finishes his words. The land under his feet instantly turns black and quickly engulfs everything in its path as it spreads like a dark disease. Everything his curse touches, dies. People try to run from it but the second it touches them, they fall deathly ill before dying a painful, hideous death.

The dark sky lights up with a powerful burst of lightning, striking and destroying everything in its path. Bai Lei watches as the land dies with red blazing eyes. Cries and screams for help and mercy can be heard but Bai Lei ignores them all. They took the most important thing from him… they will all pay for it! Even if they die a thousand times, it’s not enough!!